Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar (Sanskrit: सूर्यनमस्कार IAST: Sūrya Namaskāra), Salute to the Sun or Sun Salutation, is a practice in yoga as exercise incorporating a flow sequence of some twelve gracefully linked asanas.[2][3] The asana sequence was first recorded as yoga in the early 20th century, though similar exercises were in use in India before that, for example among wrestlers. The basic sequence involves moving from a standing position into Downward and Upward Dog poses and then back to the standing position, but many variations are possible. The set of 12 asanas is dedicated to the solar deity Surya. In some Indian traditions, the positions are each associated with a different mantra.

Sculpture of the 12 asanas of one form of Surya Namaskar[lower-alpha 1] in Indira Gandhi Airport, Delhi.[1] (figures sculpted by Nikhil Bhandari)

Typically the number of repetitions start with 2-3, advance to 12 and multiples of twelve; 108 rounds is a hallmark of mastery of surya namaskar and is done for reasons of purification.

Variant sequences called Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutation) have also been created.

Etymology and origins
Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi provided this double-page guide to Surya Namaskar at the back of his 1928 book The Ten-Point Way to Health: Surya Namaskars as well as in the body of the text, stating that it could be removed for use without damaging the text of the book.[4][5]

The name Surya Namaskar is from the Sanskrit सूर्य Sūrya, "Sun" and नमस्कार Namaskāra, "Greeting" or "Salute".[6] Surya is the Hindu god of the sun.[7] This identifies the Sun as the soul and source of all life.[8] Chandra Namaskar is similarly from Sanskrit चन्द्र Chandra, "Moon".[9]

The origins of Surya Namaskar are vague; Indian tradition connects the 17th century saint Samarth Ramdas with Surya Namaskar exercises, without defining what movements were involved.[10] In the 1920s, Bhawanrao Shriniwasrao Pant Pratinidhi, the Rajah of Aundh, popularized and named the practice, describing it in his 1928 book The Ten-Point Way to Health: Surya Namaskars.[4][5][11][12] It has been asserted that Pant Pratinidhi invented it,[13] but Pant stated that it was already a commonplace Marathi tradition.[14]

Ancient but simpler Sun salutations such as Aditya Hridayam, described in the "Yuddha Kaanda" Canto 107 of the Ramayana,[15][16][17] are not related to the modern sequence.[18] The anthropologist Joseph Alter states that Surya Namaskar was not recorded in any Haṭha yoga text before the 19th century.[19] At that time, Surya Namaskar was not considered to be yoga, and its postures were not considered asanas; the pioneer of yoga as exercise, Yogendra, wrote criticising the "indiscriminate" mixing of sun salutation with yoga as the "ill-informed" were doing.[5]

Elliott Goldberg called Vishnudevananda's 1960 sequence (positions 5 to 8 shown) a "new utilitarian conception of Surya Namaskar", rejecting his guru Sivananda's view of it as a health cure.[20]

The yoga scholar-practitioner Norman Sjoman suggested that Krishnamacharya, "the father of modern yoga",[21][22] used the traditional and "very old"[23] Indian wrestlers' exercises called dands (Sanskrit: दण्ड daṇḍ, a staff), described in the 1896 Vyayama Dipika,[24] as the basis for the sequence and for his transitioning vinyasas.[23] Different dands closely resemble the Surya Namaskar asanas Tadasana, Padahastasana, Caturanga Dandasana, and Bhujangasana.[23] Krishnamacharya was aware of Surya Namaskar, since regular classes were held in the hall adjacent to his Yogasala in the Rajah of Mysore's palace.[25] His students, K. Pattabhi Jois,[26] who created modern day Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga,[27] and B. K. S. Iyengar, who created Iyengar Yoga, both learnt Surya Namaskar and flowing vinyasa movements between asanas from Krishnamacharya and used them in their styles of yoga.[25]

The historian of modern yoga Elliott Goldberg writes that Vishnudevananda's 1960 book The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga "proclaimed in print" a "new utilitarian conception of Surya Namaskar"[20][28] which his guru Sivananda had originally promoted as a health cure through sunlight. Goldberg notes that Vishnudevananda modelled the positions of Surya Namaskar for photographs in the book, and that he recognised the sequence "for what it mainly is: not treatment for a host of diseases but fitness exercise."[20]

Description
Sun Salutation at a public yoga event in Katni, India

Surya Namaskar[29] is a sequence of around twelve yoga asanas connected by jumping or stretching movements, varying somewhat between schools. In Iyengar Yoga, the basic sequence of asanas is Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Uttanasana with head up, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, and then reversing the sequence to return to Tadasana; other poses can be inserted into the sequence.[6]

In Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, there are two Surya Namaskar sequences, types A and B.[30] The type A sequence of asanas is Pranamasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Phalakasana (high plank), Chaturanga Dandasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Uttanasana and back to Pranamasana.[30] The type B sequence of asanas (differences marked in italics) is Pranamasana, Utkatasana, Uttanasana, Ardha Uttanasana, Phalakasana, Chaturanga Dandasana, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Virabhadrasana I, repeat from Phalakasana onwards with Virabhadrasana I on the other side, then repeat Phalakasana through to Adho Mukha Svanasana (a third time), Ardha Uttanasana, Uttanasana, Utkatasana, and back to Pranamasana.[30]

A typical[lower-alpha 2] Surya Namaskar cycle is:


1: Pranamasana
2: Hasta Uttanasana
3. Uttanasana

12: Back to 1
4. Anjaneyasana

11. Hasta Uttanasana


5. Adho Mukha Svanasana

10. Uttanasana
6. Ashtanga Namaskara

9. Anjaneyasana,
opposite foot
8. Adho Mukha
Svanasana
7.Urdhva Mukha
Shvanasana

Mantras

In some yoga traditions, each step of the sequence is associated with a mantra. In traditions including Sivananda Yoga, the steps are linked with twelve names of the God Surya, the sun:[31]

Step (Asana)Mantra (name of Surya)[31]Translation[31]
Tadasanaॐ मित्राय नमः Oṃ Mitrāya Namaḥaffectionate to all
Urdhva Hastasanaॐ रवये नमः Oṃ Ravaye Namaḥcause of all changes
Padahastasanaॐ सूर्याय नमः Oṃ Sūryāya Namaḥwho induces all activity
Ashwa Sanchalanasanaॐ भानवे नमः Oṃ Bhānave Namaḥwho diffuses light
Parvatasanaॐ खगाय नमः Oṃ Khagāya Namaḥwho moves in the sky
Ashtanga Namaskaraॐ पूष्णे नमः Oṃ Pūṣṇe Namaḥwho nourishes all
Bhujangasanaॐ हिरण्यगर्भाय नमः Oṃ Hiraṇya Garbhāya Namaḥwho contains everything
Parvatasanaॐ मरीचये नमः Oṃ Marīcaye Namaḥwho possesses raga
Ashwa Sanchalanasanaॐ आदित्याय नमः Oṃ Ādityāya NamaḥGod of Gods
Padahastasanaॐ सवित्रे नमः Oṃ Savitre Namaḥwho produces everything
Urdhva Hastasanaॐ अर्काय नमः Oṃ Arkāya Namaḥfit to be worshipped
Tadasanaॐ भास्कराय नमः Oṃ Bhāskarāya Namaḥcause of lustre

Indian tradition associates the steps with Bījā ("seed" sound) mantras and with five chakras (focal points of the subtle body).[32][33]

Step (Asana)Bījā mantra[33][32][lower-alpha 3]Chakra[33]Breathing
Tadasanaॐ ह्रां Oṃ HrāṁAnahata (heart)exhale
Urdhva Hastasanaॐ ह्रीं Oṃ HrīṁVishuddhi (throat)inhale
Padahastasanaॐ ह्रूं Oṃ HrūṁSwadhisthana (sacrum)exhale
Ashwa Sanchalanasanaॐ ह्रैं Oṃ HraiṁAjna (third eye)inhale
Parvatasanaॐ ह्रौं Om HrauṁVishuddhi (throat)exhale
Ashtanga Namaskaraॐ ह्रः Oṃ HraḥManipura (solar plexus)suspend
Bhujangasanaॐ ह्रां Oṃ HrāṁSwadhisthana (sacrum)inhale
Parvatasanaॐ ह्रीं Oṃ HrīṁVishuddhi (throat)exhale
Ashwa Sanchalanasanaॐ ह्रूं Oṃ HrūṁAjna (third eye)inhale
Padahastasanaॐ ह्रैं Oṃ HraiṁSwadhisthana (sacrum)exhale
Urdhva Hastasanaॐ ह्रौं Oṃ HrauṁVishuddhi (throat)inhale
Tadasanaॐ ह्रः Oṃ HraḥAnahata (heart)exhale

Variations

Inserting other asanas

Many variations are possible. For example, in Iyengar Yoga the sequence may intentionally be varied to run asanas Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Uttanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Lolasana, Janusirsasana (one side, then the other), and reversing the sequence from Adho Mukha Svanasana to return to Tadasana. Other asanas that may be inserted into the sequence include Navasana (or Ardha Navasana), Paschimottanasana and its variations, and Marichyasana I.[6]

Chandra Namaskar

Variant sequences named Chandra Namaskar, the Moon Salutation, are sometimes practised; these were created late in the 20th century.[35] One such sequence consists of the asanas Tadasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Anjaneyasana (sometimes called Half Moon Pose), a kneeling lunge, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Bitilasana, Balasana, kneeling with thighs, body, and arms pointing straight up, Balasana with elbows on ground, hands together in Anjali Mudra behind the head, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana, Uttanasana, Urdhva Hastasana, Pranamasana, and Tadasana.[36] Other Moon Salutations with different asanas have been published.[35][37][38]

As exercise

The energy cost of exercise is measured in units of metabolic equivalent of task (MET). Less than 3 METs counts as light exercise; 3 to 6 METs is moderate; 6 or over is vigorous. American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association guidelines count periods of at least 10 minutes of moderate MET level activity towards their recommended daily amounts of exercise.[39][40] For healthy adults aged 18 to 65, the guidelines recommend moderate exercise for 30 minutes five days a week, or vigorous aerobic exercise for 20 minutes three days a week.[40]

Surya Namaskar's energy cost ranges widely according to how energetically it is practised, from a light 2.9 to a vigorous 7.4 METs. The higher end of the range requires transition jumps between the poses.[lower-alpha 4][39]

Muscle usage

A 2014 study indicated that the muscle groups activated by specific asanas varied with the skill of the practitioners, from beginner to instructor. The eleven asanas in the Surya Namaskar sequences A and B (of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga) were performed by beginners, advanced practitioners and instructors. The activation of 14 groups of muscles was measured with electrode on the skin over the muscles. Among the findings, beginners used pectoral muscles more than instructors, whereas instructors used deltoid muscles more than other practitioners, as well as the vastus medialis (which stabilises the knee). The yoga instructor Grace Bullock writes that such patterns of activation suggest that asana practice increases awareness of the body and the patterns in which muscles are engaged, making exercise more beneficial and safer.[41][42]

In culture

The founder of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, K. Pattabhi Jois, stated that "There is no Ashtanga yoga without Surya Namaskara, which is the ultimate salutation to the Sun god."[43]

In 2019, a team of mountaineering instructors from Darjeeling climbed to the summit of Mount Elbrus and completed Surya Namaskar there at 18,600 feet (5,700 m), claimed as a world record.[44]

Notes
  1. Incorporating Ashtanga Namaskara in place of Caturanga Dandasana
  2. As shown in the Indira Gandhi Airport sculpture, above.
  3. The Bījā mantras are sounds, not translatable words.[34]
  4. Haskell, curious about the wide range of METs in Surya Namaskar, repeated the study (Mody) which gave the highest value; using "transition jumps, and full pushups", he obtained "agreement" with 6.4 METs.[40]

References
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  3. Jane MacMullen (1988). Yoga Journal: Ashtanga Yoga. September/October. Active Interest. pp. 68–70.
  4. Pratinidhi, Pant (1928). The Ten-Point Way to Health | Surya Namaskars. J. M. Dent and Sons. pp. 113–115 and whole book. The ten positions of a Namaskar are repeated here and may be detached without damaging the book. The pages are perforated for easy removal.
  5. Singleton 2010, pp. 180–181, 205–206.
  6. Mehta 1990, pp. 146–147.
  7. Dalal, Roshen (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 343. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
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  10. Hindu Vishva. 15. 1980. p. 27. Sri Samarath Ramdas Swami took Surya Namaskar exercises with the Mantras as part of his Sadhana.
  11. S. P. Sen, Dictionary of National Biography; Institute of Historical Studies, Calcutta 1972 Vols. 1–4; Institute of Historical Studies, Vol 3, page 307
  12. Alter 2000, p. 99.
  13. Alter 2004, p. 163.
  14. Singleton 2010, p. 124.
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  17. Translation of Ramayana by Griffith
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  28. Vishnudevananda 1988.
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  40. Haskell, William L.; et al. (2007). "Physical Activity and Public Health". Circulation. 116 (9): 1081–1093. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.185649. ISSN 0009-7322. PMID 17671237.
  41. Ni, Meng; Mooney, Kiersten; Balachandran, Anoop; Richards, Luca; Harriell, Kysha; Signorile, Joseph F. (2014). "Muscle utilization patterns vary by skill levels of the practitioners across specific yoga poses (asanas)". Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 22 (4): 662–669. doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2014.06.006. ISSN 0965-2299. PMID 25146071.
  42. Bullock, B. Grace (2016). "Which Muscles Are You Using in Your Yoga Practice? A New Study Provides the Answers". Yoga U. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  43. "Surya Namaskar in the words of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois". Discover the Purpose. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
  44. "Suryanamaskar and Yoga Atop of Mountain Summit (18600 Feet)". World Records India. 3 October 2019. Archived from the original on 3 October 2019.

Sources

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